The brutal axe murders of the Hill family

In a homicide investigation, the first 48 hours are crucial when a homicide occurs. Otherwise, the killer has a better chance of eluding capture. For law enforcement, catching a killer can be challenging despite technology and genetic evidence.

Having said that, just imagine the difficulty law enforcement had catching killers in 1911? There was no technology or DNA testing available to them. Gumption and determination were all they had. In the early 1900s, many killers evaded capture. In a remote rural setting just outside Portland, Oregon, one of these unknown killers brutally murdered a family of four.

William Hill, Ruth Hill, and their two children from an earlier marriage wanted to live away from the city. They moved to a rural part of Ardenwald, Oregon. Portland is the closest major city. William built his family's cottage himself. It appeared that the Hill family had found an ideal place to live.

On June 9, 1911, a concerned neighbor checked on the family. When the neighbor peeked through a window, he saw a dead child. A neighbor called law enforcement, who responded immediately.

They found a massacre inside the cottage. Ruth and William were found dead in their bed. They had been beaten to death with an axe. Their killer had beaten them beyond recognition. Afterward, police found the bodies of siblings Philip, 8, and Dorothy, 4. Their bodies had also been savagely beaten with an axe. Ruth, William, and Dorothy were killed with the sharp end of an axe, which left their bodies in horrific condition. Philip was killed with the blunt end of the axe.

Police believed that Ruth and Dorothy had also been sexually assaulted by the killer or killers. In addition, the killer took some family property. Robbery and sexual motivation were believed to be the motives. The killer had draped clothing over the windows. The intention was probably to prevent anyone from seeing inside the cottage while the victims were being murdered.

The family was believed to have been killed between midnight and 1:00 a.m. A neighbor said his dogs were barking around that time. The cabin only had two rooms.

Law enforcement scoured the area looking for witnesses. Bloodhounds were even used. There were vagrants in the area, but they had fled. Either they didn't want law enforcement to bother them or they knew something.

Fear gripped the neighbors. A family of four had been brutally murdered by the killer, who was still on the loose.

It was suspected that a neighbor named Nathan Harvey had committed the crime. He lived near the Hill family and had been at odds with them. The two sides were in dispute over land. Harvey seemed like a plausible suspect. He was known as a sexual deviant and was seen in the area when the Hills were killed.

Law enforcement did not charge Harvey and let him go. William Riggin was another suspect. He confessed to the murder and said he waited outside while his accomplice killed the family. He then changed his story. He didn’t seem believable and had shown signs of mental health problems. Law enforcement didn’t believe his confession and dismissed him as the killer.

There were also a few other suspects, but law enforcement never found out who killed the Hill family. The brutal murders would eventually become cold and remain unsolved. And since these homicides occurred over a century ago, it’s unlikely anyone will ever solve this mystery.

Marc is a longtime resident of Clermont County and an avid reader. Contact him through his website at www.themarcabe.com or through Facebook: www.Facebook.com/themarcabe or his twitter account @themarcabe. Marc also has a podcast called Catch my Killer where he interviews family members seeking justice for their murdered loved ones. You can listen at www.catchmykiller.com.